Nutrition Assistant

Sea Mar Community Health Centers, a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) founded in 1978, is a community-based organization committed to providing quality, comprehensive health, human, housing, educational and cultural services to diverse communities, specializing in service to Latinos in Washington State. Sea Mar proudly serves all persons without regard to race, ethnicity, immigration status, gender, or sexual orientation, and regardless of ability to pay for services. Sea Mar's network of services includes more than 90 medical, dental, and behavioral health clinics and a wide variety of nutritional, social, and educational services. We are recruiting for the following position:

Sea Mar is a mandatory COVID-19 and flu vaccine organization

Position Summary

The Nutrition Assistant Certifier I is responsible for WIC participant enrollment, termination, orientation, voucher delivery and maintaining client files.  He or she also performs preliminary participant risk assessment and some basic nutrition education, identifies and makes nutrition and other health or community service referrals.  She/he also assists with the Nutrition Program clerical support including, but not limited to; completing participant reports, maintaining records and monthly statistics.

Duties and Responsibilities

As a mission-driven organization, the core values of, and the services offered at Sea Mar are based on the belief that everyone deserves to be respectfully treated in a way that preserves dignity and enhances self-worth. Sea Mar is an advocate for its clients and aims to achieve industry-leading, client-centered, culturally-aware services. 

Sea Mar employees serve as an extension of this mission and demonstrate their commitment to an excellent client experience by:

• Understanding and empathizing with client needs
• Surpassing client expectations
• Demonstrating a high level of integrity
• Exhibiting compassion and commitment
• Advocating for social justice
• Taking pride in individual work as well as that of the team
• Continually learning to stay current with industry standards, best practices and technology

As a Sea Mar employee, the individual in this position commits to adherence to these values to their utmost ability and endeavors to strengthen and embody this mission daily.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following listed below.  The Nutrition Assistant Certifier I may be required to perform other duties as assigned.

ADMINISTRATIVE

• Maintains complete up-to-date WIC charts (documenting counseling session as specified by program guidelines in legible form), and statistical program records including but not limited to; documentation flow sheet, WIC diet records, certification sheets, weight/height grids, child evaluation sheets, infant birth outcomes, and appointment scheduling.
• Establishes and maintains professional working relationships with WIC team members and other Sea Mar staff.  Serves as liaison between Nutrition/WIC and other clinic and community services and makes referrals as appropriate.
• Assists with the clerical and statistical program work as needed.
• Attends selected clinic, MSS, Preventative Health Services division and WIC meetings and participates in continuing education.
• Assists with breastfeeding promotion and community nutrition education, including travel as needed.
• Works efficiently with self-direction.

CLINICAL

• Demonstrates knowledge and skills necessary to provide care appropriate to the age of the patients served.
• Demonstrates knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span.
• Able to identify and categorize each patient’s age-specific grouping needs, such as those for infant, adolescent, or geriatric patients.
• Interviews clients from diverse populations, reviews and documents client history, anthropometric and laboratory data, and reviews current eating habits.
• Uses standard assessment tools and follows department policies and practices to perform screening procedures such as weighing and measuring, taking hematocrits hemoglobin, plotting growth grids, and reviewing dietary evaluations.
• Compares information collected to program criteria to accurately determine WIC eligibility and nutrition risk factors.
• Refers clients to appropriate health or community service resources.  Identifies when high-risk clients need immediate attention of Dietitian and makes appropriate referrals and facilitates the appointment.
• Provides individual and group nutrition education according to program guidelines, utilizing client appropriate methods and materials.
• Provides program orientation, nutrition requirements and assists in scheduling client appointment, considering all programmatic and client needs.
• Determine appropriate food package, explains nutrient content of WIC foods, identifies contracted food vendor, issues manual or computerized food vouchers, and documents checks issued.
• Maintains patient rights and confidentiality; documents vendor and participant complaints and infractions.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

• This person must sign an oath of permanent confidentiality covering all patient-related information.
• This person must receive a background check from the Washington State Patrol.
• Must have and maintain CPR certification bi-annually and TB test annually.
• The Nutrition Assistant shall sign and date the job description to affirm the validity of the information herein and to signify compliance with the conditions of employment, minimum qualifications and an understanding of the job responsibilities.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

WORK EXPERIENCE

• Abilities and aptitudes for developing effective community and personnel relationships are important.
• Also important is the ability to work comfortably and effectively with individuals and groups from diverse cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Able to deal patiently and empathetically with multicultural clientele, even under stressful conditions.
• Able to work cooperatively as a member of the health care team.
• Works efficiently with self-direction.

LANGUAGE SKILLS

• Possess writing skills sufficient to be understood by a dietitian, receptionist, WIC coordinator, and the WIC participant.
• Bilingual, bicultural - English/Spanish preferred.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS

• Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. 

REASONING ABILITY

• Ability to understand a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

Education, Certificates, Licenses, Registrations, and Medical Screening

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

• High School or GED diploma.
• One year previous experience as WIC receptionist and/or in WIC program required.
• Interest and experience in basic nutrition and childhood development desirable.
• 7-hour course in HIV/AIDS, required by State.

• Medical Assistant-Registered Certification required for Hemoglobin testing.  Staff who do not have the Medical Assistant-Registered Certification are not permitted to perform the Hemoglobin testing.  Staff are required to obtain the Certification after hire or promotion. 
• Completion of the Minimum Paraprofessional Competencies (a set of standards defined by Washington State WIC Program) within guidelines set in WIC/Nutrition Policies and Procedures.
• Must have and maintain a TB test annually.
• This position must obtain Basic Life Support (BLS) CPR within 90 days of hire date and is required to maintain current BLS CPR throughout employment.

Additional Requirements

• Pre-hire and annual employee health screening required
• Annual influenza vaccine required.  Only exception is for employees with a medical or religious exemption approved by Administration.  Employees with an approved medical or religious exemption must wear a mask at all time during the flu season.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  Ability to travel in Western Washington in a timely manner performing the work described above.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to moderately high.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear.  The employee frequently is required to stand and sit.  The employee is occasionally required to climb or balance and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. Incumbent must be able to lift 35 pounds above 4 feet without assistance.  Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus. Able to sit at computer terminal or desk for extended periods of time.

Hourly - Hourly Plan, 22.28 USD Hourly

What We Offer:

Sea Mar offers talented and motivated people the opportunity to work in a dynamic and growing community health organization. Working at Sea Mar Community Health Centers is more than just a job, it’s a fulfilling career with opportunity for advancement. The fringe benefits surpass most companies. For example, Full-time employees working 30 hours or more, receive an excellent benefit package of:

• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• Prescription coverage
• Life Insurance
• Long Term Disability
• EAP (Employee Assistance Program)
• Paid-time-off starting at 24 days per year + 10 paid Holidays.
• We also offer 401(k)/Retirement options and an exciting opportunity to work in a culturally diverse environment. 

Sea Mar is an equal opportunity employer.

Please visit our website to learn more about us at www.seamar.org. You may also apply thru our Career page at this link.